Situation: Motorcycle does not start. "EWS" is intermittently or permanently displayed in the instrument cluster.

===============
Cause:

1. The battery was previously disconnected and was reconnected before the ignition was switched on for the first time.

2. There are increasing failures of the EWS ring aerial on motorcycles manufactured on or after 18.9.2006
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Measure:

In rare cases, the BMS-K or BMS-K software may not have been booted completely correctly when the ignition is switched on. A fully booted BMS-K always shows the gear indicator in the instrument panel, provided that the gearbox potentiometer in NOT faulty.

1. If the "EWS" display appears in the instrument panel and the lowbeam headlight lights up when the ignition is switched on for the first time after the battery has been connected, it is NOT a ring aerial fault. It is a booting error in the BMS-K. Do NOT replace any parts.

Once the ignition has been switched on for a second time, the EWS system functions normally again.

In the event of an EWS complaint, please ask the customer whether the battery had previously been disconnected and whether the fault occurred the first time the ignition was switched on.

2. Please carry out interactive diagnostics on the EWS system using GT1. Move (pull, push, kink, etc.) the line, or wiring harness, during measurement of the EWS ring aerial to the BMS-K. Check for overtightened cable ties that may have cut into the wiring harness or otherwise damaged one or more lines. If you cannot find a fault by means of interactive diagnostics, GT1 will 1st prompt you to replace the EWS ring aerial. Proceed with the replacement of the EWS ring aerial. Please do NOT replace the BMS-K.

Situation: Motorcycle does not start. "EWS" is intermittently or permanently displayed in the instrument cluster.

===============
Cause:

1. The battery was previously disconnected and was reconnected before the ignition was switched on for the first time.

2. There are increasing failures of the EWS ring aerial on motorcycles manufactured on or after 18.9.2006
==================

Measure:

In rare cases, the BMS-K or BMS-K software may not have been booted completely correctly when the ignition is switched on. A fully booted BMS-K always shows the gear indicator in the instrument panel, provided that the gearbox potentiometer in NOT faulty.

1. If the "EWS" display appears in the instrument panel and the lowbeam headlight lights up when the ignition is switched on for the first time after the battery has been connected, it is NOT a ring aerial fault. It is a booting error in the BMS-K. Do NOT replace any parts.

Once the ignition has been switched on for a second time, the EWS system functions normally again.

In the event of an EWS complaint, please ask the customer whether the battery had previously been disconnected and whether the fault occurred the first time the ignition was switched on.

2. Please carry out interactive diagnostics on the EWS system using GT1. Move (pull, push, kink, etc.) the line, or wiring harness, during measurement of the EWS ring aerial to the BMS-K. Check for overtightened cable ties that may have cut into the wiring harness or otherwise damaged one or more lines. If you cannot find a fault by means of interactive diagnostics, GT1 will 1st prompt you to replace the EWS ring aerial. Proceed with the replacement of the EWS ring aerial. Please do NOT replace the BMS-K.

So if the "EWS" comes on and the bike is immoblized and it is not the first time after the battery had been disconnected then the "aerial" is to be replaced?

So, we are to...replace the antenna if you get a "EWS" and the GT1 sez to replace?

Quote: (Originally Posted by ridesumor)
[EWS failure...] Yep! About a two weeks ago... Had BMW Roadside tow to nearby dealer. Dealer has now replaced the "ring" to no avail, ordered an ECU, got the wrong one, and now another ECU due on TUES. Almost two weeks have elasped.

Quote: (Originally Posted by jpalamar)
And while the following is not necessarily directly related, Jim/Poolside has an old ECU from my '06 K12R. It's a perfectly good ECU BTW, but the reason the dealer had to put in a NEW ECU is simply because I wanted a spare key. Whatever code was supposed to be in BMW's database tying VIN and ECU together did not exist.

Nothing could be cobbed together to tie a VIN, ECU, on an existing bike. Seems nuts, and not relevant to this, unless, who knows.

OK...pundits of "it is the antenna" [which seems reasonable] what say ye about this?

Forget the pundits. Read what the BMW factory has to say.

From the 1200GS Technical Training manual:

Immobilizer code data structure.
The codes used during the handshake are generated from an Immobilizer Rolling Code table assigned to the VIN at the time of manufacturing. The BMS-K and corresponding ignition keys are encoded with this unique data making them an electronically mated pair for one particular motorcycle.

The [10 ignition key] code table [factory coded into the ECU] provides the codes for each key and a source for BMS-K to check the generated code for each key. Of the three [transponder] keys supplied with a new motorcycle, each one is uniquely identified (key #, ie: 1, 2, or 3). Each key additionally then has a unique immobilizer code.

During the key on sequence, the BMS-K first identifies the key sending the code data and then confirms the transmitted immobilizer code for that key. There is the possibility of a maximum of ten keys per system possible. However they must be ordered specifically by the VIN, and activated with the GT1.

Ten total keys can be used, per bike. The ten keys are coded into the ECU at the factory. Then activated at the dealer by the GT1 Diagnostic Computer.

Maybe the dealer is unaware of the EWS system capabilities. Maybe they are also unaware of the EWS manual override built into the GT1 software.

The codes used during the handshake are generated from an Immobilizer Rolling Code table assigned to the VIN at the time of manufacturing. The BMS-K and corresponding ignition keys are encoded with this unique data making them an electronically mated pair for one particular motorcycle.

The [10 ignition key] code table [factory coded into the ECU] provides the codes for each key and a source for BMS-K to check the generated code for each key. Of the three [transponder] keys supplied with a new motorcycle, each one is uniquely identified (key #, ie: 1, 2, or 3). Each key additionally then has a unique immobilizer code.

During the key on sequence, the BMS-K first identifies the key sending the code data and then confirms the transmitted immobilizer code for that key. There is the possibility of a maximum of ten keys per system possible. However they must be ordered specifically by the VIN, and activated with the GT1.

Ten total keys can be used, per bike. The ten keys are coded into the ECU at the factory. Then activated at the dealer by the GT1 Diagnostic Computer.

Maybe the dealer is unaware of the EWS system capabilities. Maybe they are also unaware of the EWS manual override built into the GT1 software.

Ok...first as posted here...I and most owners only got two keys. A "real one" and a funky plastic one. That nothwithstanding where do you glean that there is a manual over ride for the EWS? Would love that, but I only see that there are 10 assigned key codes to the VIN and they can be activated by the GT1.